Roll and pitch palm pivot hand controller

Abstract

A two-axis hand controller including a human interface to simulate feel parameters for use in a vehicle having a pitch axis and a roll axis. A hollow grip having a base end is connected to a swash plate through a rigid connecting member. A universal joint having a center shaft member rigidly affixed to a first support surface and having roll and pitch pivot axis members is attached within the center of the hollow grip so as to provide dual palm pivot points. The swash plate includes an opening positioned so as to accept the shaft member through the opening and into the hollow grip. The swash plate is also flexibly engaged to the first support surface so as to allow for control of the human interface feel parameters. Apparatus for transducing is attached between the swash plate and the base so as to provide electrical signals responsive to movements in the pitch and roll axes without cross-coupling from one axis to the other. Adding an elongated shaft member attached to a bearing mechanism mounted to a second supporting surface provides a third axis in the yaw direction. The swash plate is flexibly attached to the first support surface by at least four linear bearings wherein two of the linear bearings are disposed along the pitch axis and the other two are disposed along the roll axis, wherein each of the linear bearings is further connected to a flexible coupling which is connected to the transducer apparatus comprising a pick-off device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A two-axis hand controller apparatus including a human interface to simulate feel parameters for use in a vehicle having a pitch axis and a roll axis comprising: (a) a control grip having a hollow space and a base end;   (b) a first support surface;   (c) a universal joint having two degrees of freedom, having a center shaft member with top and bottom ends affixed rigidly at bottom end to the first support surface and having roll axis and pitch pivot axis members attached within the center of the hollow space so as to provide dual palm pivot points;   (d) a rigid connecting member attached at a first end to the control grip base and having a second end;   (e) a swash plate having first and second surfaces and an opening wherein the first surface is rigidly affixed to the second end of the rigid connecting member and positioned so as to accept the top end of the shaft member through the opening without contact into the hollow space, and further wherein the swash plate is flexibly engaged to the first support surface by apparatus including at least four linear bearings wherein two of the linear bearings are disposed along the pitch axis and the other two are disposed along the roll axis, wherein each of the linear bearings is further connected to a flexible coupling, and wherein the flexible coupling is further connected to the transducer means which includes a pick-off device, so as to allow for control of the human interface feel parameters with full grip displacement; and   (f) transducer means attached between the swash plate and the first support surface so as to provide electrical signals responsive to movements in the pitch and roll axes without cross-coupling from one axis to the other.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transducer means comprises a plurality of plunger and pick-off assemblies. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of the plunger and pick-off assemblies further comprises: (a) means for mounting to the first supporting surface;   (b) means for flexibly extending the plunger;   (c) means for housing the plunger;   (d) means for adjusting preload on the extending means; and   (e) means for providing an electrical signal responsive to movements of the hand controller in the pitch and roll axes.   
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for providing an electrical signal further includes an LVDT pick-off and core which outputs electrical signals in response to movement of the plunger within the housing means. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for mounting to the first supporting means further includes means for adjusting a null signal so as to reduce deadband responses to a minimum. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claims 3 wherein the means for mounting to the base further includes a locking set screw. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the apparatus attaching the swash plate to the first support surface further includes a pulley assembly which engaged by the flexible coupling. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a housing mounted to the first support surface and a flexible boot connected at a first end to the base of the grip and at a second end to the housing. 
     
     
       9. A three-axis hand controller apparatus including a human interface to simulate feel parameters for use in a vehicle having a pitch axis and a roll axis comprising: (a) means for gripping having a hollow space and a base end;   (b) a first support surface;   (c) means for transmitting rotation having a center shaft member with top and bottom ends wherein the bottom end is affixed rigidly to the first support surface, and having roll pivot axis and pitch pivot axis members attached within the center of the hollow space so as to provide dual palm pivot points;   (d) a rigid connecting member attached at a first end to the control grip base and having a second end;   (e) a swash plate having first and second surfaces and an opening wherein the first surface is rigidly affixed to the second end of the rigid connecting member and positioned so as to accept the top end of the shaft member through the opening without contact and into the hollow space, wherein the swash plate is flexibly engaged to the first support surface, so as to allow for control of the human interface feel parameters with full grip displacement, by apparatus including at least four linear bearings wherein two of the linear bearings are disposed along the pitch axis and the other two are disposed along the roll axis, wherein each of the linear bearings is further connected to a flexible coupling and wherein the flexible coupling is further connected to the transducer means which includes a pick-off choice;   (f) means for transducing attached between the supporting means and the first support surface so as to provide electrical signals responsive to movements in the pitch and roll axes without cross-coupling from one axis to the other;   (g) an elongated shaft member colinearly connected to the center shaft member at a first end and having a second end;   (h) a bearing mechanism connected to the second end of the elongated shaft member, the bearing mechanism including a feel mechanism for providing yaw signals; and   (i) a second support surface attached to the bearing mechanism.   
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the transducer means further comprises a plurality of plunger and pick-off assemblies. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of the plunger and pick-off assemblies further comprises: (a) means for mounting to the first supporting surface;   (b) means for flexibly extending the plunger;   (c) means for housing the plunger;   (d) means for adjusting preload on the flexibly extending means; and   (e) means for providing an electrical signal responsive to movements of the hand controller in the pitch and roll axes.   
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for providing an electrical signal further includes an LVDT pick-off and core which output electrical signals in response to movement of the plunger within the housing. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for mounting to the first support surface further includes means for adjusting a null signal so as to reduce deadband responses to a minimum. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for mounting to the first support surface further includes a locking set screw. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the apparatus attaching the swash plate to the first support surface further includes a pulley assembly which is engaged by the flexible coupling.